Straya - A-League and State Leagues

West-Gone United

733 replies · 142,565 views
16 Aug 02:47
austin111
I have read a few reports on football gambling including a very good one in the Guardian. The concensus is that its very common. Particularly in smaller leagues where the wages are lower and theres more temptation for a player to take some cash. It doesnt suprise me at all that we are seeing it in the A League. This all comes from organised crime gambling syndicates. Yes, its good to punish the players involved but it would be nice to catch the ring leaders too

Yesterday’s Brisbane Courier Mail
Syndicate attempting to fix a QLD NPL match
image.jpeg 2.51 MB
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16 Aug 09:37
coochiee
austin111
I have read a few reports on football gambling including a very good one in the Guardian. The concensus is that its very common. Particularly in smaller leagues where the wages are lower and theres more temptation for a player to take some cash. It doesnt suprise me at all that we are seeing it in the A League. This all comes from organised crime gambling syndicates. Yes, its good to punish the players involved but it would be nice to catch the ring leaders too

Yesterday’s Brisbane Courier Mail
Syndicate attempting to fix a QLD NPL match
image.jpeg 2.51 MB

Was talking to my cousin about it. He plays for South Melbourne and used to play in the A League. He said he was not surprised as it is very common as you mentioned
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16 Aug 10:09
Chiefytheman
coochiee
austin111
I have read a few reports on football gambling including a very good one in the Guardian. The concensus is that its very common. Particularly in smaller leagues where the wages are lower and theres more temptation for a player to take some cash. It doesnt suprise me at all that we are seeing it in the A League. This all comes from organised crime gambling syndicates. Yes, its good to punish the players involved but it would be nice to catch the ring leaders too

Yesterday’s Brisbane Courier Mail
Syndicate attempting to fix a QLD NPL match
image.jpeg 2.51 MB

Was talking to my cousin about it. He plays for South Melbourne and used to play in the A League. He said he was not surprised as it is very common as you mentioned

If you don't mind me asking, who is your cousin Chiefytheman?
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16 Aug 10:22
HattyCW
Chiefytheman
coochiee
austin111
I have read a few reports on football gambling including a very good one in the Guardian. The concensus is that its very common. Particularly in smaller leagues where the wages are lower and theres more temptation for a player to take some cash. It doesnt suprise me at all that we are seeing it in the A League. This all comes from organised crime gambling syndicates. Yes, its good to punish the players involved but it would be nice to catch the ring leaders too

Yesterday’s Brisbane Courier Mail
Syndicate attempting to fix a QLD NPL match
image.jpeg 2.51 MB

Was talking to my cousin about it. He plays for South Melbourne and used to play in the A League. He said he was not surprised as it is very common as you mentioned

If you don't mind me asking, who is your cousin Chiefytheman?

Andy Brennan
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16 Aug 12:35


The account has also made a correction to one point in this post to say they haven't actually lodged their appeal yet but it will be lodged within the extension they've been given
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20 Aug 12:54


Got their appeal in before the Thursday extension deadline
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21 Aug 06:09
Simon B

Corica speaks.
Interesting quote here from Corica: "Western is the team we will have to play three times this year so obviously if they disappear then there is no byes anymore and the draw will have to be completely re-done."

So the clubs must have already been told the teams who they are set to face 3 times this season?
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21 Aug 06:50
The draw had been done and was ready to be released then the Western shark hit the fan. Thats what i got told at the semi final on Saturday

GET YOUR SHIRTS OFF FOR THE BOYS

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27 Aug 07:43
Yep it seems like that's the last nail in the coffin for Western.

When are we due to officially hear from the APL the result of the appeal does anyone know?
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27 Aug 07:56
In the article it says 3 weeks from the appeal.
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27 Aug 10:32
What are the chances of WU being propped up by the league like Newcastle and others were?
Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites

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27 Aug 12:55 · edited 28 Aug 05:48 · History
No chance. This isn't just helping pay wages and other daily running costs until a new owner can be found.

WU is a club in a very serious financial mess. It's somehow been operating with annual losses of over $10m each year since Covid. The sale to dodgy KAM Sports was their last hope. Sadly for them it's all over.

Cue the agents for WU's players now getting a flurry of phone calls from the other ALM clubs.

Looking at some old Stuff articles. Gold Coast United lost a reported $19m over it's lifetime (chicken feed for Clive Palmer). The Welnix owners had to pump about $2m into the Nix in their first season as owners post Terry to keep the club aflot.

So you can see WU's effective paper loss (or negative equity position) now of $55m is huge

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/08/a-league-club-western-united-licence-withdrawn-under-football-australia-regulations

A winding up process established by creditors of the club, including the tax office, is under way in the federal court. The club has outstanding debts of more than $16m. On Friday afternoon, the matter was adjourned until 28 August.

Western United lodged its 2023-24 accounts with Asic last week, which showed a loss of $11m for the year and the value of its liabilities exceeding its assets by $55m.

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28 Aug 00:17
Looks like Dura saw the writing on the wall when he moved to Victory in June.

Actually, getting outplayed quite a bit these days

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28 Aug 03:23
When might these players be freed and thence available?

Oi Oi Edgecumbe... lets have a clean sheet

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28 Aug 05:10
Oi Oi Edgecumbe
When might these players be freed and thence available?

one would assume after the decision to boot them out is final, so after the appeal has been lost.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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28 Aug 05:29 · edited 28 Aug 05:29 · History


A hearing date of 2nd September has been set for Western United's appeal, So Tuesday next week
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28 Aug 07:34
Really was hoping for them to succeed with that stadium, what a shame. Would've been good for the league.

It was hard to watch though when they played home games at AAMI Park in front of 2k fans.
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29 Aug 02:15
Apparently a court has ordered that western Melbourne group be liquidated and is no longer a going concern. I'd imagine any faint hope for WU is gone with them.
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29 Aug 03:00
down to 12 teams, 22 games a season, bye bye to two home derby matches this season.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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29 Aug 03:14 · edited 29 Aug 03:16 · History
Still think its a shame it's them and not say, Macarthur. 

Edit: also, 22 game season. Yikes.
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29 Aug 03:16 · edited 29 Aug 03:17 · History
theprof
down to 12 teams, 22 games a season, bye bye to two home derby matches this season.
They might go back to the way it was Pre-Auckland and add an extra team or two that you play 3 times, so they don't lose rounds
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29 Aug 03:18
theprof
down to 12 teams, 22 games a season, bye bye to two home derby matches this season.
My understanding is A-League Men needs to have 26 matches to meet AFC requirements, so it will most likely mean going from two three-peats to four.
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29 Aug 03:49 · edited 29 Aug 03:49 · History
andrewvoerman
theprof
down to 12 teams, 22 games a season, bye bye to two home derby matches this season.
My understanding is A-League Men needs to have 26 matches to meet AFC requirements, so it will most likely mean going from two three-peats to four.
I thought the Asian Confederation had gotten rid of the 27 game rule (26 league matches + 1 Aus Cup match) but I can't find anything to back that up so maybe I'm dreaming.

Either way they'll have commitments to the broadcaster that will require them to keep it at 26 league matches each
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29 Aug 09:49


So this could drag out a while longer...
But the APL did say today we will get fixtures in the next 2 weeks.

Also I don't fully get the legality of everything, but WMG the owners and operators of the Western United licence are being liquidated, not the 'club' technically? So the licence goes back to the APL who technically could run it? (Although I dont think they have the money to do so) or find someone to run it? 
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29 Aug 18:16
To expand the season why not play each other twice at "home" & twice "away" each season instead of the 3 game suggestion? 
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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30 Aug 21:57 · edited 30 Aug 22:01 · History
Could they "suspend operations" for a year, find an investor and re-join 26/27?
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30 Aug 22:09 · edited 30 Aug 22:09 · History
Doubt it, but I'm wondering why the FA and APL aren't doing what they did for the Phoenix when Century City Football went bust. Take the players, branding, and IP and transfer it to new owners while letting the old Phoenix entity go bankrupt.

They're saying that Western United can only be sold if someone buys them as a going concern and takes on the debt. I guess WU is so tied up with the development of Ballarat that they're not a viable entity without being involved in that.
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31 Aug 22:16 · edited 31 Aug 22:17 · History
I think you are right about that. The club if I recall was set up with the land development via local council involvement, as part of the whole deal.  It may not be possible for APL to be involved with that as well as propping up the football operation - at the same time they may not be able to separate the football club off the entity.   Others may want to correct me on this.

Actually, getting outplayed quite a bit these days

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01 Sep 00:21
Could someone please explain to me because I am getting confused with all these stuff like articles I see and what not. So Western United are they in and playing next/this coming season or are they not and are done. (Sorry to ask I just am confused) 
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01 Sep 00:49
Very unlikely to be playing. At this stage they are not and it doesn't look like they've got any options to keep going.
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01 Sep 01:21
yeah, they've basically got a court order to delay the decision to expel them from the league so their lawyers can go through the original decision and appeal.

It's unlikely to change anything unless they find some wrong application of the law.
Cant see them being able to field a team this season, even if they win.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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01 Sep 01:42
Ahh okay makes sense. Thank you to both of you!
theprof
yeah, they've basically got a court order to delay the decision to expel them from the league so their lawyers can go through the original decision and appeal.

It's unlikely to change anything unless they find some wrong application of the law.
Cant see them being able to field a team this season, even if they win.
Ryan
Very unlikely to be playing. At this stage they are not and it doesn't look like they've got any options to keep going.
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01 Sep 05:57
https://www.thechronicle.com.au/sport/football/western-united-made-defunct-after-losing-fight-for-survival-in-federal-court/news-story/00635ab9d46afb4ce4db37f5b64c8e80

Western United continues to fight for its survival, having been successful with an application to stay the Federal Court’s orders to wind up the embattled A-League club.

The court on Friday rejected a bid from the Victorian club to pay – via creditor Johnson Controls – a reported debt of $15.5 million, ordering that Western United Football Club, WMG Holdings and three other companies that underpin the club to be wound up in insolvency.

However, the matter is yet to be fully resolved, with United – which was stripped of its A-League licence earlier this month by Football Australia – announcing on Friday night that the wind up order had been stayed, pending an application to review the Court’s decision.

“Once that application is made next week, the stay will operate until the appeal is heard.” United said via a statement on the club’s website.

“Western United is doing everything we can to continue our dream. We will continue to engage with the ATO and our sports and community stakeholders to have our licence renewed or reinstated.

“The west of Melbourne is one of the fastest growing communities in Australia and we remain committed to facilitating the community’s pathway for young boys and girls to use sport to dream big and fulfil their dreams.”

United players – who include arguably the A-League’s best midfielder Angus Thurgate, emerging talent Rhys Bozinovski and Japanese striker Hiroshi Ibusuki – are set to become free agents should the appeal fail.

It’s understood Thurgate has already attracted interest from a handful of A-League clubs in the aftermath of United’s demise.
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01 Sep 07:33 · edited 01 Sep 07:33 · History


The 'white knight bid' to pay off the tax debts to avoid the ATO winding up WMG was dependent on the appeal against the license being stripped being successful. So if this fails tomorrow night, that is probably it for Western.
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02 Sep 10:41


Football Australia won't be making a decision on Western United's appeal until Tuesday next week

The wait continues...
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02 Sep 10:45


And a statement from the APL to go with this news
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